10 things you didn’t know about Matt Veitch

Matt Veitch has given up crowd surfing now that he's in politics. Photo by Skip Dickstein.

Matt Veitch was elected one of Saratoga Springs’ two city supervisors in 2007. He is a Republican and you may know his wife, Stephanie, is a daughter of Sen. Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga. You may have heard his name connected to efforts to build a trail along Geyser Road, and the family name is well-known throughout the city. One of five children, Matt has siblings in politics and police work. His father, Mike Veitch, is a retired school teacher and writes about horse racing for the Saratogian. Here’s more about Matt.

1. I was featured in the Saratoga Springs High School Play “How the West was Lost” in 1978 at six years old. I played Jesse James, and sang the song “I’m an Old Cowhand” in the play.

2. I am the great-grand-nephew of Hall of Fame trainer Sylvester Veitch, a trainer who one held the record of 24 wins in 24 days at Saratoga from 1954-2003.

3. My family owned the house that is now the Olde Bryan Inn before it was a restaurant.

4. I can play the guitar, bass guitar, French horn, and a host of other musical instruments. I was a music minor in college.

5. My first elected position was the sports coordinator for Mason Hall Dorm Council at SUNY Plattsburgh in 1992. We won the competition and got the ‘Burghy’ trophy that year.

6. I crowd surfed at the Lollapalooza show at the Saratoga Raceway in 1995 during the Smashing Pumpkins set.

7. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in teaching, as was a substitute teacher in many of the Schools around the Capital District.

8. I first met my wife at Aiko’s bar, downtown, now known as club Thirteen.

9. My first job was as a dishwasher at ‘Mother Goldsmith’s’ restaurant at 43 Phila Street, now the Seven Horse Pub.